


Long way down

by cloudnymphs



Series: Unsteady [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Romance, Yugi needs to vent, post dsod
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 12:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22495855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudnymphs/pseuds/cloudnymphs
Summary: There were better times to kiss Yugi, but Joey just couldn't help himself.orJoey and Yugi talk about Seto entering the afterlife. Yugi can't help but feel some form of resentment toward the situation. Joey is there to help any way he can.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Mutou Yuugi
Series: Unsteady [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1617931
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	Long way down

**Author's Note:**

> Maybe this is just me, but i thought that if anyone deserved to go and see atem it's yugi. but at the same time, he respected atem needed to leave and heal on his own. but i still think that, he deserves to have an opinion on the overall situation because yugi is so used to being nice and smiling all the time. if ever he is angry, i think that's okay.

"Maybe I just wasn't good enough." Yugi's voice was just shy of a whisper, and like that, the confidence he had built up over these past few months seemed to shatter at that self-revelation. 

To his side Joey sat, his hazel eyes softening at Yugi's words.

"What was that?" He had heard him loud and clear, even among the mid volume television playing in the background. The room that night was dark, only lit by the screen of the TV and even then, Joey chanced a look at Yugi and saw the twisted expression on his face.

"Nothing." Yugi retracted, looking away. "I'm just being silly."

"No, not nothin'." Joey leaned forward to took the remote, shutting the volume down. "Said you weren't good enough? Yeah, I heard ya'. Weren't good enough for who?" 

Yugi's shoulders slumped and it was evident that the small amount of conviction he had left had, at that moment, vanished. He exhaled, and let out a shudder as he remained facing forward, not yet able to meet Joey's eyes.

"Kaiba went back to the after life, to duel Atem--that's what Mokuba told me." He breathed. "It just occurred to me that, there's a possibility that he'll be staying there, and he'll be with..." Yugi forced himself to continue on. "Kaiba will be with Atem."

"And? Not like we needed money bags here." Joey's shot back angrily. "Good riddance."

"Yeah but..." Yugi trailed off, his gaze slowly making its way to Joey. "I guess...this is silly again but..."

Joey felt a twinge of pain in his heart. 

It was no secret that he hated Kaiba and his disappearance brought Joey some type of satisfaction. Seto had spent the better part of their relationship tearing Joey down, and during his last few days on this Earth, had been nothing but disrespectful to Yugi all for the sake of Atem--Joey had it with Kaiba and was glad to see him gone.

Yet, in that second he remembered just what Atem meant to Yugi and what he felt for him.

On the outside Yugi put up a brave front regarding Atem. To many it seemed like he had accepted Atem's departure and had finally decided to move on with his life. And perhaps, Joey thought he was on the way to doing just that, even behind closed doors. 

Yet Joey had also known that Yugi felt something far more than friendship for Atem.

Joey hadn't seen many displays of 'true love', in his life time so perhaps he was not the best judge. However, it didn't take any manner of complex thinking to know that at a point, Yugi and Atem did indeed share true love and when he left, he took a portion of Yugi's soul with him.

Yugi was on his way to healing, if not getting that part of his soul back, at least renewing himself again and then...he heard that Kaiba was able to make it to the after life, to Atem, to be with Atem for an eternity and well, that did wonders to Yugi's self esteem.

And now Joey finally understood. 

"Hey Yugi.." He placed a comforting hand on his smaller friend's back. "Don't worry about it. It's alright--"

"How can I not Joey?" Yugi asked, this time fully facing him. "You're the only one who knows how I feel and who knows how much it hurts." His voice threatened to crack, no matter how hard he tried to fight it. 

"Joey I thought I was done! I thought I'd be okay because my saving grace was that--he was untouchable. None of us, no matter how much we missed him could never get him back and it was for the best! It was destiny and now...Kaiba was able to and I just...I don't understand!" 

The program on the television had ended, switching to a brighter episode now fully illuminating Yugi's contorted expression. 

"Was it destiny that sent Kaiba to the after life? Were Atem and I never meant to be?"

"Yugi-"

"I loved him and I would have given anything to be there with him! But I never tried, I never pushed forward because I knew he....I knew he needed to heal...without me...but Kaiba...went to him so effortlessly...n...now I'm confused....did I not try hard enough....was I n...not good enough...were we j...just never meant..to..." 

He couldn't really hold himself together anymore and was no longer trying to hide the fact that he was crying. 

Joey had made his move, practically pulling Yugi into his arms and holding him close. He could feel Yugi's body jolting against his own as he wept silently. Joey simply groaned, not sure what to do other embrace Yugi until he calmed down. 

"Ya know, I've never been good at these things but....if it means anything, you were always good enough to me..." Joey stared. "I can't tell you about fate, or destiny or any of that mumbo jumbo and yeah it sucks...I know how it feels to be angry at someone like Kaiba. It isn't fair that he got to see Atem and you didn't...but ya know, he's an asshole and sadly, assholes always end up gettin' what they want." He shrugged, rubbing Yugi's head as he continued. "But Yugi, for all you've done don't ever thin you're worthless or you aren't good enough or anything silly like that. You've always been perfect with or without Atem. Not sayin' it shouldn't hurt--this whole Kaiba nonsense but...don't let that make you feel any less of yourself." 

There were a few more moments of silence on broken by Yugi's sobs. 

Joey didn't try to stop him, nor chide him for being "weak", because god knew Yugi was far from it. Yugi was perhaps the strongest person Joey knew, and he had no qualms just holding him like this now--letting him cry. 

Eventually he quieted down, melting into Joey's embrace.

"Thank you." He whispered, his violet eyes making way to Joey's. "For sticking with me--for always being a friend."

"Don't mention it. I just hate seein' you like this. You deserve more than feeling like this. Forget about Kaiba, forget about Atem--let's just live for ourselves now, alright? Atem's happy, ya know that? He'd probably hate seein' you like this." Joey didn't even realize that his hands had made their way to either side of Yugi's face, cradling his cheeks. 

"I'll always be there for ya', no matter what. I've always..." He drew his words, his eyes now locking gaze with Yugi's. A warm, tender feeling swept through Joey's body at that moment and for the life of him he could not look away, nor could Yugi. It was like Joey operated on autopilot, as he anchored Yugi's face in his palms and then, leaned in for a soft kiss. Yugi gasped for a second, before he too leaned forward as well, joining in the chaste caress.

They remained like this for a while until finally, Yugi broke away, his cheeks flushed. 

"Sorry Yugi I--"

"No, it's okay." Yugi responded quickly. "I needed that...I think we needed that, Joey...thank you." They remained in silence, just for a few moments before Yugi stretched forward and took the remote from the TV, un-muting the volume on the program.

He again, found himself leaning into Joey with a lot more confidence and comfort from before. 

Joey too felt more confident on his end, placing a hand over Yugi and later on into the night, pulling Joey Yugi into his lap.

The two said nothing in those few moments, only held each other close in the low lit living room and watched their program together. 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! please leave a comment and kudos if you did.


End file.
